Is it time to shake things up?
This month I took a slightly different approach. Usually I decide on not only a subject and a medium but also a particular approach or style to follow for each painting in the series. However this month I felt feeling a little wilful. I wanted to explore a few different ways of painting tulips. (Want to paint tulips with me?… keep reading!)
This got me thinking about routines and habits. I enjoyed giving myself a little more freedom. How often do we contain ourselves a little too much?
Routine is all well and good but sometimes it is good to change things up. We are always being encouraged to establish good habits, begin each day with a 'power hour' morning routine.
We have a seemingly infinite supply of books and blogs and podcasts that advise on how to do this and things you must do for that. With so much research at our fingertips it seems like we ought to find out exactly what to do before we begin. In moderation of course this is all well and good, but what about the joy of exploration and discovery?
And do too many instructive resources leave you feeling a bit paralysed?
Scared to begin in case you do it ‘wrong’?
There comes a point when you have to stop researching and just do.
By the way, if you want to have a go at painting a vase of tulips in a loose and liberating fashion, you might want to have a look at this.
Of course we can learn from each other but we should not undervalue our own creative possibilities.
Just because someone else does something a particular way doesn't mean that you have to or that your way won't work.
Because someone else did a b and c before d doesn't mean you cant get to d earlier in the piece.
Or later.
Your own path is valid too.
Are you on your own Painting Adventure?
One of these might be helpful…